01x01 - Escape from Mongo

[bunniefuu]

- ♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

Defenders!

[dramatic music]

♪ Out of the sky his rockets ignite ♪

♪ Jets into battle flying faster than light ♪

Flash Gordon!

♪ Lord of the jungle the hero who st*lks ♪

♪ The beasts call him brother The Ghost Who Walks ♪

Phantom!

♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

Defenders!

♪ Master of magic, spells, and illusion ♪

♪ Enemies crumble in fear and confusion ♪

Mandrake!

♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

Defenders!

♪ His strength is a legend his skills conquer all ♪

♪ Armed with his power we never will fall ♪

Lothar!

♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

Defenders!

♪ With our new young heroes proving their worth ♪

♪ Four become eight defending the Earth ♪

♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

Defenders!

♪ Defenders of the Earth ♪

[dramatic music]

[thunder echoes]

- What was that? - It looked like a spacecraft!

Hurry!

- The door is sprung. I'll rip it off.

- Wait, Lothar. You'll fry your hands!

Allow me.

- It's Flash Gordon! Let's get him into the house.

[peaceful music]

♪ ♪

- Here, this tea should help you feel better.

- Yes, yes, it will. I'll be fine, but will they?

- Flash, my friend, you must not exert yourself.

- But my wife and son are prisoners

of Ming the Merciless!

- Ming?

- His home planet of Mongo is dying

from the lack of resources.

He plans to leave Mongo and invade the Earth.

I came to warn you but my ship was chased

and shot down by Ming's Ice Robots.

- You must rest, my friend.

- Wow!

They don't teach stuff like this in science class!

- Ah, sounds like science fiction, Kshin!

Nothing like that could ever--

[glass shatters]

[lasers zapping]

- We have pursued the golden- haired visitor to this hovel.

We are to return him to our leader, Ming the Merciless.

- I see no visitor here...

and neither do you!

- Then what is that spacecraft doing outside?

- It appears to be taking off.

- My ship! It's taking off!

- It hasn't moved. I hypnotized your pursuers

into believing that you flew off.

They're chasing after it right now!

[tires squeal]

- LJ, you're late again!

One of these days you'll be sorry.

- Hey, Pop! I'm sorry now!

It looks like you guys saw more action than I did.

[eerie music]

♪ ♪

- My leader, Garax and the Ice Robots are reporting in.

Flash Gordon has eluded them.

- What did you expect, Father?

It was stupid of you to send brainless robots

on such an important mission!

- Silence!

Octon, order the ice robots to return immediately.

Flash Gordon's wife and son are still my prisoners.

He will return for his family...

or his family will lead us to him!

Bring the prisoners before me without delay!

- Yes, my lord, Ming.

- Don't be afraid, Rick.

Your father will come back to help us.

Stay where you are, Rick. I have a plan.

- The female Earthling! She's gone!

- Blast it open!

[lasers blasting]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Grab it, Rick!

♪ ♪

[laser blasts]

Run, Rick!

- I'm not going without you, Mom!

- You must save yourself!

Quickly!

- I'll come back for you.

♪ ♪
[ … ]

- We must find him! Search the area!

- Oof!

- [excited chattering] - What?

- [excited chattering] [smooches]

- [laughs] Okay, okay,

I get the idea, you're friendly.

Now cut it out!

[thump] Ouch!

So where is everybody? Where's your mom and dad?

- [coos sadly] Mom?

- I know how you feel, little guy.

Sure wish I knew where my father is.

- I'm sure glad you're feeling better, Mr. Gordon.

- I don't believe it.

It's got to be one of your tricks, Mandrake.

- [chuckles] It's no illusion.

- [chuckles] Just a little elbow grease.

And some knowledge of astromechanics.

How about taking it out for a test run?

- You bet... to Mongo to rescue my family...

and stop Ming before he leaves for Earth.

You want to come along?

- We thought you'd never ask. - What about me?

- Kshin, you'll stay behind and finish your homework.

[upbeat music]

[engines roaring]

♪ ♪

- We've gotta find my mother

before Ming does something horrible to her.

- [squeals] - [roars]

- It's-it's Ming's pet!

- [growling]

- [chattering]

- [roars]

- Mongor! Come here!

We have work to do!

- Either you will tell me where Flash Gordon is hiding

or I will activate the Inquisitor

and drain you of the information I want...

and your life force as well.

So, you choose to remain silent.

Mongor, activate the Inquisitor!

- [growls]

- Now you will tell me everything!

[electricity crackles]

- No, no! Mother!

[electricity crackles]

- Stop! Release her, now!

- It is too late, Rick Gordon.

- No! [laser blasts]

[dramatic music]

[laser blasts]

[glass shatters]

♪ ♪

- After him, Mongor! - [growls]

- I'll be back!

- She must not--

What? The master alarm!

We're under attack!

- [jabbers excitedly]

- Octon, report!

[mechanical whirring]

- Only one attack vehicle sighted.

- As I expected.

Flash Gordon is returning for his wife and son

but neither he or his family will leave Mongo alive.

- [chuckles]

The battle has just begun, father!

- Octon, order the roboships

to intercept and destroy Flash Gordon.

He must not interfere with my plans to leave Mongo

and establish new headquarters on Earth.

- Ming's palace is directly below.

- And his roboships are directly above!

[engines roaring]

- Looks like we're not gonna land without a fight.

[lasers blasting]

[explosions]

- Good shot, Flash! - Just warming up, pal!

[lasers blasting]

- What impertinence! They're sh**ting back!

[spaceship whooshes]

♪ ♪

[lasers blasting]

- Uh-oh, looks like Ming's got an unfair advantage.

♪ ♪

- Very well.

I'll even out the odds with a bit of mass hypnosis!

- First one and now five? But how?

[engines roaring]

Now I have you.

[lasers blasting]

[explosions]

- Have they gone mad?

My own forces are destroying the palace!

- At this rate, my most powerful Father,

you won't have much of an empire left.

- Octon, prepare my new throne room for immediate departure!

My invasion of Earth must begin immediately.

[explosions and laser blasts]
[ … ]

♪ ♪

- [fearful jabbering]

♪ ♪

- Hold it right there, snow cones!

- [heavy breathing] Rick, Rick!

Where's your mother?

- Dad! She's...she's...

♪ ♪

[engine droning]

- There goes Ming.

- Forget Ming! We've gotta help my mother!

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

- I fear we are too late.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Wherever you go, Ming, I will find you.

- All of us... - Forever.

- And I will stop you! - For you, Mom.

- How inviting it looks,

so rich and bountiful.

It will be perfect for my needs

and so easy to invade and dominate.

[engine roars]

- With all the possible hiding places on Earth,

it'll be nearly impossible to locate Ming.

- Or his new base of operations.

- Even so, no matter where he chooses to hide, I'll find him.

- [jabbers] - Huh?

- [jabbers]

- You little Zuffoid. What are you doing here?

- Obviously a stowaway.

- What do you say to that, Zuffy?

- [jabbers]

[jabbers]

- What is that?

- This crystal was part of Ming's Inquisitor.

Yes, I remember now.

[ethereal bubbling]

I saw it just before my escape.

- [jabbers]

[engine drones]

- I proclaim this "Ice Station Earth"!

Here in the arctic,

where the icy temperatures will sustain our technology,

you will begin construction of my new headquarters.

- Yes, sire!

- Octon, Flash Gordon's son will begin school shortly.

Find that school and I will find Flash Gordon.

These unfortunate Earthlings

are coated with a veneer of frost

which makes their hearts cold

and their wills mine to command.

With his son as our hostage, Flash Gordon will come to me!

[cackles]

[arctic wind howls]

- My head spins to think

of how many places on Earth Ming can hide.

- With all of us looking we'll find him fast,

right Rick?

- You bet, LJ!

- Ming is too dangerous.

Besides, LJ, you have to enroll Rick in high school tomorrow.

both[groans]

- We need the help of someone

with the senses of a jungle animal

to sniff out this space pirate.

- Yeah, but where do we find someone like that?

- I know just the someone we need--

The Ghost Who Walks.

[birds chirping]

Hopefully we're not too far

from the legendary "Skull Cave,"

the home of The Phantom.

- Mandrake, I sense danger ahead.

all[shouting]

[dramatic music]

- Your senses are quite accurate, old friend,

except the danger is below!

[all shouting]

- Any idea as to our destination?

- Beats me, I haven't seen a street sign yet.

- [growling]

[snarls]

- Halt!

The Bandar natives are my friends.

Who are you and what do you want?

- These gentlemen are Flash Gordon and Lothar my friends.

And I'm Mandrake.

We're looking for The Ghost Who Walks.

- The man you are seeking is my father, The Phantom!

- Yes, I will join you in your fight against this...Ming.

I'm always ready to battle pirates

from wherever they come, but I am concerned

about the welfare of my daughter, Jedda.

- I understand your concern, Phantom.

If you come with us, Jedda,

you can attend school in Central City.

- Our sons, Rick and LJ, will already be there.

- I think Central City High is a great school.
[ … ]

- And it suddenly got better!

- Now, you know you can't come in with me, Kisa.

School is no place for a panther.

- Let's check it out.

- We are friends of Flash Gordon.

He needs you to come with us immediately.

- We aren't going anywhere except to class.

- Hey, get your hands off me!

- You've grabbed the wrong guys.

[dramatic music]

[laser blasts]

♪ ♪

[tires squeal]

- [evil laughter]

I have the bait.

Now to set the trap.

- Kisa, follow the creature with wheels!

- [snarls]

- Good, Kisa! Stay with it!

- I knew they were in trouble,

but I had no idea they were Rick and LJ.

- This is the first time my ship's flight plan

has been based on mental telepathy.

- A talent Jedda picked up from the Bandar natives.

- Kisa is near. Down there!

- The old state penitentiary?

But it's been abandoned for years!

- Not anymore. Kisa is inside the gates.

♪ ♪

- You'd better stay here. There may be trouble inside.

- Now all we have to do is figure out

how we get past the gates without being spotted.

- Leave it to me.

[thunder cracks]

Upon my jungle birthright,

I call upon the power of ten tigers!

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

Hurry, before we're--

- Spotted? - Ming the Merciless!

- We've been expecting you.

- No one will ever find us here.

- Dad and the others-- they're here!

- I knew they'd come! Oh, no!

- No longer will you interfere with my conquest of Earth!

- You m*rder*d my wife!

- And I promise the same fate for you, Flash Gordon!

Listen, my captives, to the sound of the prison generators.

They will be used to power this discarded equipment

once used for the execution of prisoners.

- Electrocution!

- We've got to find some way of getting out of here, fast!

- I hope this old door is as rotten as it looks!

Hiyah!

- Good work, LJ! Let's move!

Which way to the power generators?

That way!

- Kisa, how did you get out? - [growls]

- What? There's trouble inside?

You two better wait here.

- [coos] - Again?

[dramatic music]

- Executioner, throw the switch!

What's wrong? Why is there no power?

- You did it!

You disconnected the switches in time!

- Only one more job to do.

- Inferior Earthling technology!

Quickly, check the generators! [engine starts]

[engine revs]

♪ ♪

No, come back! Stop them before they escape!

- Everyone into the van!

I reversed the power generators to overload.

We have only seconds before they explode.

♪ ♪

[engine revs]

- [jabbers excitedly]

[engine roars]

[expl*si*n]

[tranquil music]

- And the crystal showed us the way to the generators.

- Mind if I examine it, Rick?

Interesting... this crystal has absorbed

the personality elements of your mother!

- Maybe it can be the personality base

for the new super-computer I'm designing.

-Ah, that will be a great help in our fight against Ming!

- And all of you have something to offer--your special skills.

- Someday, Kshin, and Zuffy,

even you will be able to join the team,

which will be forever known as...

"The Defenders of the Earth."

[engine roars]